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(No Model.) 7 SheetsShe e:t 1.

R. s. KIRKPATRICK. PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER.

No. 449,447. Patented Mar.31,1891.

2 e m m A b e e h is 7 R d O M o m PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER. No. 449,447.

Patented Mar. 31,1891.

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R. S. KIRKPATRICK. PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER.

No. 449,447. PatentedMar. 31-, 1891.

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7 SheetsSheet 4.

R. s. KIRKPATRICK. PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER. No. 449,447.

Patented Mar. 31,1891.

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R. S. KIRKPATRICK. PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER.

No. 449,447. Patented Mar. 31, 1891.

(No Model.) 7 shxaets sheet 6.

R. S. KIRKPATRICK. PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER.

No. 449,447. Patented Mar. 31, 18491.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

"R. s. KIRKPATRICK. PORTABLE ELEVATOR AND WAGON UNLOADER.

No. 449,447. Patented Mar. 31, 189.1.

UNITED STATES ROBERT SAMUEL KIRKPATRICK, OF

PATENT GEEICE.

l-IARLAN, IOWVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TO R. P. DAMMAND, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,447, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed May 12, 1890- T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT SAMUEL KIRK- PATRICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harlan, in the county of Shelby and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Portable Elevator and lVagon-Unloading Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevators and wagon-unloaders designed, within a certain limited field, to be portable while mounted in condition to use, and within a larger field to be portable from place to place and readily arranged in suitable condition for use.

The object of my invention is to obtain a portable elevator and wagon -unloader by which an ordinary farm-wagon may be expeditiously unloaded of wheat, corn, or other like article contained therein, and such articles may be elevated into a proper receptacle therefor contiguous to but not a part of my portable elevator and wagon -unloader by power derived from the work of the horses, mounted on a horse-power contained in the wagon unloader, while yet hitched to the Wagon in which the grain or corn has been brought to and upon the elevator and Wagonunloader.

A further object of my invention is to construct a portable elevator and wagon-unloader wi h the several parts thereof so disposed and arranged with regard to each other that the load contained in the wagon may be unloaded therefrom without hand labor, as it is called; and, further, after the load or a part thereof has been unloaded from the wagon it maybe elevated into a receptacle provided therefor by the horses attached to the wagon, and without unhitching the horses from the wagon.

A further object of my invention is to obtain a portable elevator and wagon-unloader,

' by the use of which an ordinary farm-wagon may be unloaded and the contents elevated into the receptacle providedtherefor without backing or turning the team or the wagon to which such team is attached'in entering upon or departing from the device by which such wagon is unloaded, and its contents elevated, as stated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a portable elevator and wagon-un- Serial No. 351,519. (No model.)

loader upon and about which horses used to farm-work only may be safely handled and employed.

The manner in which I attain the several objects sought by me is set out and described and claimed in this specification, and. illustrated in the drawings attached hereto and forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a side-elevation of my portable grain-elevator and wagon-unloaderin position for the driving thereon of a team and loaded wagon, to which such team is hitched; Fig. 2, a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3,a bottom plan view thereof; Fig. 4, a sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a longitudinal sectional "iew of the horse-power forming an element in my invention, by which the elevating mechanism of the device is actuated; Fig. 6, a horizontal longitudinal section of the horse-power; Fig. 7, a side elevation of the lifting-aprons of the elevator and the mechanism actuating the lifting-aprons; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the platform and approaches thereto and a modification of the mechanism controlling the position of such approaches; Fig. 9, a detail of the mechanism controlling the position of the upper part of the frame of the elevatingaprons; Fig. 10, an end elevation of the elevating-aprons with horizontal aprons and a blowing-fan for separating shelled corn and other material from corn on the ear and for cleaning such shelled corn of foreign mate'- rial, and Fig. 11 a transverse section of a corn-crib and my device therein in position for use in connection therewith.

Similar lettersof reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings. A is a platform mounted on wheels at a. A loaded wagon can be driven on platform A.

A is an approach pivoted to platform A and adapted to turn upon its pivot, so that the outer end thereof may rest upon the ground or be raised therefrom. Then the outer end of approach A rests upon the ground, the approach forms a roadway, over which a team and wagon can pass to mount upon the platform A. p

A is a platform pivoted at the other end of platform A and forms an exit from such platform A. The platform A is of such length, as compared with an ordinary farmqvagon,

that when a farm-wagon is located upon the platform in suitable position to be unloaded the team, hitched to the wagon and consisting of not more than two horses, stands upon the exit A IVhen the wagon is unloaded and the team with the wagon is to be driven from the platform A, the exit A is turned from the position illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings upon the hinges X X, (shown in section in Fig. 4,) attachin it to the platform A, so that the free and outer end of this exit will rest upon the ground when the horses are driven down such exit A with the empty wagon attached to them.

A are posts pivoted to platform A on pivots A. There are four of these postsone at each corner of the platform A. The two of the posts A on the right-hand side of the platform A are tied together by tension-rod A, while the two upon the left-hand side of the platform are tied together by a like tension-rod, also lettered A A A are chains extending from the top of the posts A to the approach A and the exit A respectively. The platform approach A is of greater weight than the platform exit A and the permanent load carried thereby,

(such permanent load consisting of a tread horse-power hereinafter described,) and hence when the friction-brake with which platform exit A is provided, and which will also be hereinafter fully described, is released the approach A and exit A will, by gravity, as-

, sume the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When, however, a team consisting of one or two horses is upon the exit A the added weight of the exit and the team is greater than is the weight of the approach A, and hence if the friction-brake referred to on exit A is released exit A will, by gravity, turn upon its pivot-hingesX X until the free end thereof comes in contact with the ground or other permanent object provided therefor. An inspection of Fig. 1 will show that when the exit A turns upon its hinge the chain A, attached to such exit A will necessarily follow the exit and will draw or pull after it the upper end of the post A to which such chain is secured, and the post will therefore turn upon its pivot A, and as this post is connected by tie-rods A to the post A at the other end of the platform A, upon the same side of such platform, such other post A will also turn upon its pivot, drawing after it the chain A, attached to such second post and to the approach A, and the free or outer end ofappro'ach A will thereby be raised as the free and outer end of the exit A is lowered. By the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 and lastabove described for controlling the position of the approach A and exit A power must be applied directly thereto, as by the weight of a team on exit A 01 a lifting of approach A at the time the brake (consisting of the rack a pinion a gearing therewith and secured rigidly on the shaft a brake-wheel of, also secured rigidly to said shaft a brakes a, controlled by lever a rod a and lever a) is released in order to effect a change of the position of the approach and exit from that illustrated in Fig. l to one in which a team and Wagon can drive from the platform A. To change the position of the approach A and exit A from the position illustrated in Fig. 1, when the operator is standing upon the platform A, near to the lever a and there is no team on platform A,

mechanism substantially like that illustrated in Fig. 8 is employed. In this modification posts'A A are rigidly secured to the platform A and upon the upper ends of such posts are placed idlers Y Y, over which pass the ropes A to the drum 0.

' P is a wheel rigidly secured to the shaft 19, to which shaft is also rigidly secured the drum 0.

P is a rope or cable passing over wheel P. By pulling upon the rope P ropes A A attached to approach A, may be wound or unwound at will upon drum 0, thereby raising or lowering approach A, and ropes A A attached to exit A will be unwound or wound upon this drum 0, alternating with the rope secured to approach A. In this modification a partial counterbalance of the approach and exit is obtained in the same manner as by the device first described, wherein the posts A are pivoted. I do not, however, limit myself to either construction, as it is evident that where the approach A and exit A are pivoted and made to partially counterbalance each other any suitable mechanism may be employed, and my invention will be thereby substantially made use of.

In order to unload a wagon upon my portable elevator and wagon-unloader, the team hauling the wagon is driven up the approach A over the platform A and upon the platform A The wagon hitched to such team will remain upon the platform A. The hook b at the lower end of chain B (see Fig. 1) is then attached to the forward part of the body of the wagon. By pulling upon the rope B drum B is actuated through connecting-gear b b and the chain 13 thereby wound upon the drum B, thus elevating the forward part of the body of the wagon. The tail end'of the wagon will, when the forward part of the body thereof is elevated as described, be over the trap-door O. Trap-door C is thrown back into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby opening the pit G, into which the grain will fall when the tailboard is removed from the wagon.

() O are the inclined bottoms of the pit C and extend toward the elevating-aprons hereinafter described upon each side of the plat form A. The entire load may be thrown to the right or left elevating-aprons, as desired, by changing the position of the movable dividing-board 0 In Fig. 7 of the drawings this dividing-board C isplaced in position to throw the grain to the elevating-apron upon the right --hand side. When the dividing- IIO.

board is removed from the pit C the con tents of the pit will extend or fall' to both the stand.

E is shaft suitably journaled in approach A E are wheels rigidly secured to the shaft E. Over these wheels the chains to which the slats D are secured travel.

F is a shaft, also suitably journaled in the platform or exit A F are pulleys turning loosely on shaft F. The chains to which the slats D are attached also travel over these pulleys. By inspection of Figs. 5 and 6 it will be evident that when the slats D are caused to move in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 the shaft E will be turned thereby, as will also the loose pulleys F. I therefore provide the sprocketwheel E rigidly secured to shaft E, sprocketwheel F rigidly secured to shaft F, and sprocket-chain F running over and connect ing these sprocket-wheels, and thereby revolution in shaft E is transmitted to shaft F.

On the outer end of shaft F, at one end thereof, is rigidly secured sprocket-wheel G, and at the other end thereof is rigidly secured friction brake-wheel G. Over the sprocketwheel Gr there is placed sprocket-chain g, communicating the motion of wheel G to the elevating mechanism by the devices about to be described. The friction-brake, consistin g of strap g, extending around brakewheel G, rod 9 and lever g controls the rotation of shaft F.

H is a shaft journaled to the platform A, having rigidlysecuredthereon sprocket-wheel H, over which sprocket-chain g turns. H is a gear-wheel also rigidly secured on shaft l-I andintermeshing with gear-wheel I, rigidly secured on shaft I. dis a fly-wheel rigidly secured to shaft I. 1 is a beveled gear-wheel, also rigidly secured to shaftl and intermeshing with beveled gear-wheel J on shaft J.

J is a sprocket-wheel rigidly secured to shaft J.

K is a journaled shaft having rigidly secured thereon sprocket-wheel K and geared wheel is.

K is a sprocket-chain turning over wheel K and wheel J Lis a journaled shaft having rigidly secured thereon geared wheel Z and sprocketwheel L, and L is a sprocket-chain passing oversprocket-wheel L and also ov r sprocket- M M are shafts j ournaled at the upper ends of the elevating-aprons in frame N.

M are sprocket-wheels over which the elevating-apron chains M turn.

on m are elevator-buckets, and m m are wire fingers or forks secured to the elevating chain M and adapted to engage with large articlesas with corn on the earin the pit O and elevate the same over sprocket-wheels at the top of the apron when the machine is in operation and discharge them into a suitable receptacle through the spout attached to the top of the elevating-apron frame N.

An inspection of the several shafts H, I, J, L, K. and M, with the several gear and sprocket wheels rigidly secured thereon, respectivel y, will show that these several shafts and wheels are arranged, connected, and intermeshed for the sole purpose of transmitting motion from the shaft F of the horsepower in the exit A to the elevating-aprons M M and no particular invention is claimed by me in this arrangement of the transmitting mechanism, and such mechanism may be varied in formed at the will of the person constructing the device.

In order'to move my portable elevator and wagon-unloader from one grain or corn receptacle to another receptacle in the same yard, it is at times necessary to draw the up per end of the elevating-apron frames and the j ourn aled shafts M M, carried thereby, in over the platform A, and for this purpose I have provided the joint n in the frame N and have provided the cross-arms i N pivoted, respectively, to frame N at n and 01 N is a pulley turning loosely on a shaft in one of these arms, and N is a cord secured to the other of the arms and running over the pulley N By pulling one or the other end of the cord N arms N N may be brought into the position illustrated in Fig. 7 or into the position illustrated in Fig. 9, as desired.

Q isa link jointed at q to platform A and at the other end thereof united by joint q to the link Q. In order to trig the wheels of the wagon on the platform A in position so it will not move backward when the upper end of the body thereof is elevated, these links Q Q are brought upward into the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8, when the wheel Q being one of the hind wheels of the wagon,is in front of the link Q.

S isa fence around the sides of the exit A and T is an ordinary hay-crib which may be mounted on gates turning on hinges secured to the upright S of the side fence S.

U U are cords or ropes, one end of which may be secured to the approach A and exit A and the other end, after passing through block it, secured to cleats U on the framework of the platform A. The purpose of the rope U is to draw the approach A and exit A respectively, into an extreme upward position independently-of each other when my portable elevator and wagon-unloader is to be moved a considerable distance on the high Way. When the device is in position for operation, the rope U is unfastened from the approach A and from the exit A respectively, and moved out of the way of the team and wagon passing to and from the platform A. v g

In Fig. 10 there is illustrated insection two horizontal aprons. Apron Vis moved in the direction of the arrow thereover by mechanism connecting the apron with the tread horsepower in the exit A. V is a like apron, also moved in the direction of the arrow thereover. V V are casings forming pits surrounding thelower end of the elevating-aprons in frame N, and V is a slit or opening in the casing V adapted to allow shelled corn to drop through upon the apronsjV V, respectively. W is a fan. WV is ascreen. The current of air generated by the fan WV is directed through the fallin g material extending or'falling from apron V to the apron V, and from the pit V over apron V, and foreign material, as snow, isthereby separated from the shelled corn. The cleaned corn is then delivered from apron V into receptacle V Where corn on the ear is to be elevated into cribs,'(a's crib W Fig. 11,) the elevating-buckets m m are not required upon the elevating-apron, forks m m alone-being necessary.

The manner of operation of my device is: A team drawing aloaded wagon is driven over the approach A, the team taking a position on the horse-power D, and the'wagon resting on the platform A. The forward end of the body of the wagon is secured to the 'hook I), and by pulling on the rope B as hereinbefore described, the forward part of the body of the wagon is elevated. The trap-door O is removed from well 0'. The tail-board is re-' moved from the wagon and the load in the wagon allowed to slide into the well or pit C. At thesame time the friction-brake on wheel G, controlled, as hereinbefore described, by lever 9 is released, and the horsepower D thereby released and set in motion by the weight of the horses, in the ordinary manner in which a horse-power is set in motion. The team will thus, necessarily, actuate the horse-power, and, through the transmitting mechanism hereinbefore described, the elevating-buckets m m or the elevating-arms m m will elevate the contents of the pitor well 0 therefrom over the'shaft'M at the upper end of the frame N and into'the receptacle provided therefor, the frame N at the upper end thereof having a spout projecting into the receptacle into which the load is to be conveyed.

Having thus deseribed'my invention and its method of operation, whatI desire to claim by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The portable elevator and wagon-unloader consisting of a platformmounted on wheels, elevating-aprons extending upward from the sides of the platform and adapted to raise grain or corn dumped into a well in the. platform, combined with an approach outer end of the other is loweredand shall partially counterbalance when pivotally mounted, one of such pivoted platforms adapted to form a roadway over which a team and loaded wagon may be driven upon the mounted platform and the other a roadway' over which the team and wagon may be driven from the platform, substantially as described. v

2. A portable elevator and wagon-unloader consisting of a platform mounted'on wheels, elevating-aprons extending upward, one from each side of the platform, and adapted to raise grain dumped into a pit in the platform, combined with pivoted platforms secured to each end of the platform mounted on wheels, a rotatable apron forminga tread in one of the pivoted platforms, such pivoted platforms being connected-together so that the outer end of one shall be raised when the outer end of the other is lowered and shall partially counterbalance each other when pivotally "moved, and one of such pivotal platforms adapted to form a roadway to mount upon the platform and the other a roadway to dcpart therefrom, substantially as described.

3. In a portable elevator and wagon-unleader, the combination of apla'tform mounted on wheels, a well in the platform, the door covering the well forming when placed thereover a portion of the fioor of the mounted platform, platforms pivoted to the mounted platform and adapted to have the free ends thereof rest upon the ground, one of such piv-- oted platforms thereby forming a passage-way to and the other a passage-way from the mounted platform for teams, elevatingapron extending from the bottom of the well to receptacles adapted to be filled by the contents of the wagon driven upon the platform, and

such elevating-apron having wires extending elevating-aprons extending vupward and adapted ,to raise grain dumped into a pit in the platform, combinedwith pivoted platforms secured to each end of the mounted platform, a rotatable apron forming atread in one of the pivoted platforms, such pivoted platforms being connected together so that the outer end of one shall be raised when the outer end of the other is lowered and shall partially counterbalance each other when pivotally moved, an elevating-chain adapted to be secured to the front end of awagon on the platform, whereby a loaded wagon may be driven upon the platform, the team being upon the tread formed by the rotatable apron in the elevated pivoted platform forming when lowered an exit from the mounted platform, and the forward end of the Wagon raised and the contents thereof dumped into the pit in the platform and raised from such pit by the horses on the tread to receptacles provided for such contents of the Wagon, substantially as described.

5. A portable elevator and wagon-unloader consisting of a platform mounted on wheels, elevating-aprons extending upward from the sides of the platform, pivoted platforms secured one to each end of the mounted platform, a rotatable apron forming a tread in one of the pivoted platforms, such pivoted platforms being connected together so that the outer end of one shall be raised when the end of such rope passing over the loose pulley in the other arm and from thence to the mounted platform, the other end of the rope extending directly to the mounted platform, substantially as described.

ROBERT SAMUEL KIRKPATRICK. In presence of- JOHN T. J AcK, CHARLES Foss. 

